Spray fixture and its novel parts



E. L. ROCKWOOD' SPRAY EIXTURE AND ITS NOVEL PARTS 3 Sheets-Sheefi 1 Filed July 18, 1940 INVENTOR dF/ L R (Wood ATTORNEY June 24, W410 E. 1. R cKWoop SPRAY FIXTURE AND ITS NOVEL PARTS Filed July 18, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 54 4 4. EEQL ZZJ ATTORNEY June 24, 194i.

E. L. ROCKWOOD 2,247,3H

SPRAY FIXTURE AND ITS NOVEL PARTS.

Filed July 18, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet INVENTCR aw/ A Rock W004 ATTO R N EY Patented June 24, 1941 S'E'AES PA? SPRAY FIXTURE AND ITS NGVEL PARITS Earl L. Rockwood, Toledo, Ohio, assignor to Gifford D. Davis Application July 18, 1940, Serial No. 346,086

4 Claims.

present invention relates to certain improve-.

ments on the subject matter disclosed in mycopending application Serial No. 216,529, filed June 29, 1938.

Heretofore the commonly employed spraying fixture used in bath rooms, beauty parlors, barber shops and the like consisted of a sprayer, in the form of a chamber having a perforated lower face and generally termed a sprayer or a rose head, secured to a rigid or flexible conduit permanently or detachably connected to a water outlet. The amount and the temperature of the water flowing from the outlet throughand out of the sprayer is ordinarily controlled by a valve located in the hot water line and a valve located in the cold water line, both of these lines communicating with said outlet. Each of these valve is customarily actuated by a separate handle. The operator, by trial and error, adjusts these two valvesby actuating the handles until the desired quantum flow of water, at the desired temperature through the perforations of the rose head, is attained. Then, the rose head is manipulated so that the water flowing therethrough is directed to that part of the body being washed.

In the course of bathing or shampooing with a device of this character, it is not uncommon for the user to find it advisable and sometimes necessary to execute some other operation after a part of the body has been sprayed with the water from the sprayer. For example, in shampooing, the normal procedure is to first adjust the hot and cold water as heretofore described and then the spray is applied to the subjects wet hair.

Then both the hot and cold water are turned off by manipulating the two'handles and soap is applied to the wet hair and rubbed therein to form the first suds or lather. When the hair has become well lathered or soaped, the handles are again manipulated until the required quantity of water, at the desired temperature, flows out of'the sprayer. Then the water from the sprayer is directed to the lathered hair to rinse it. When the rinse is completed, the handles are again manipulated toshut 01? both the hot and cold water and soap is again applied to the hair. The soaping and rinsing operations are continued, with the intermediate steps of stopping and adjusting the flow of water, as many times as is deemed necessary to complete the shampoo. Never less than two and often as many as four or five soapings and an equal. or greater number of water adjustments and rinses are required in most instances.

In some cases the two handles are manipulated but once in a single .shampooing and in these cases the spray head is placed in the water basin having an outlet to the drain in the periods between the soaping and rinsing steps. The disadvantages of this procedure are that the connecting hose is violently agitated by the pressure of the water which causes a snapping back and forth of the spray head around the basin and also a loss of unused hot and cold water which in some instances presents a serious problem.

Another and salient disadvantage of said common sprayers is that the water delivered therefrom is substantially free from any entrapped air or gas. This disadvantage may be explained as follows. When soap and water in. correct proportions are introduced on to the hair the soapwet-hair is rubbed to introduce air into the mass whereupon a quantity of bubbles are produced to form a lather or suds.

The object of the lather or suds is to provide a flotation medium for the oil, dirt'and other matter to be removed from the scalp. When the substantially air or gas free tap Water strikes the lather or suds, a break down process of the suds starts at once whereupon the suds fall and coagulate into curds. This, it is believed, is caused by too great and sudden dilution of the soap solution or lather with air-free-water whereupon the bubbles collapse and the soap film thereof coagulates into curds which become attached to the hair.

{This process occurs at each rinsing after each soaping, making it necessary for each succeeding lather or suds to float remaining curds as Well as the foreign matter originally on the hair and scalp. Therefore, the curd formed when the last rinse has been applied has'been removable only by the application of a chemical rinse.

The above disadvantages as well as others'inherent in said sprayer-s and spraying fixtures are obviated by the present invention.

An object of the invention is to provide a novel spraying fixture.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel spray head or sprayer.

Another object of the invention is to provide a spray fixture which may be readily coupled to a water outlet and the flow of fluid therethrough may be controlled by an element thereof independently of the valve or valves controlling the fiow of water through said outlet.

Another object of the invention is to provide a spray fixture which may be coupled to a fluid outlet and includes a control independent of a control for said outlet to regulate the flow of fluid therethrough and a fluid pressure take up.

Another object of my invention is to provide a sprayer or spray head having a readily accessible and non-slipping control for regulating the control of water therethrough.

Another object of the invention is to provide a spray head which automatically entrains air in the water streams as they pass through cer tain parts thereof and delivers the air and water mixture to the body being sprayed.

Another object of the invention is to provide a spray head which automatically entrains air in' the water stream as they pass through certain parts thereof and directs the air entrapped water to the object being treated.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel device for coupling the sprayer connection to a fluid outlet.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel conduit for said sprayer.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will in part be obvious and will in part appear hereinafter and from the appended drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side view of the novel spray fixture, with a part broken away to shorten the same.

Figure 2 is a view looking upwardly toward the bottom of the novel sprayer shown in Fig- Figure 6 is a sectional view taken on line VI-VI of Figure 3.

Figure 7 is a cross sectional view taken on line VIIVII of Figure 3 in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 8 is a perspective view of a safety hold- .ing device employed to prevent accidental release of the coupler from the water outlet.

Figure 9 is a cross sectional view of a portion of the assembled plates of the novel spray head and indicates diagrammatically the manner in l which the air is automatically entrapped by and in the water as it passes from plate to plate.

Figure 10 is a front view, partly in section, of the upper part of the spray fixture, and the manner of connection between the water outlet, coupling device and safety device to prevent accidental uncoupling of the coupling device from the water outlet.

Figure 11 is a sectional view taken on line XI--XI of Figure 10.

Figure 12 is a front View of the lower part of the novel spray fixture and discloses a modified bail.

According to the invention, the sprayer or spray head It) may comprise a rigid metallic hollow chamber consisting of a rigid head or shell ll whose upper end may terminate in a cylinder 12. The lower end of shell ll may be flared outwardly to provide a narrow retaining lip l3.

The bottom of said chamber may be a thin r inder '7.

and rigid metallic circular disc cover plate l4 whose outer marginal portion I5 is curved upwardly and inwardly and tightly around the lip l3 to mak a water tight seal therewith. The plate I4 may have punched or in some other manner formed therein a plurality of ports or openings. These openings may be preferably in the form of inverted, hollow, frustro-conical teats l terminating in short, hollow cylinders l6 whose internal diameter preferably corresponds to the smallest internal diameter of teat l5. In one of the specific embodiments of this invention, each teat I5 may have an internal diameter of about 0.15 of an inch in the plane of the plate l4 and its internal diameter may decrease uniformly for a distance of about 0.10 of an inch to a diameter of about 0.07 of an inch. The cylinderlfi may be about 0.07 of an inch in length. The portion l6 need not be truly cylindrical but may be substantially cylindrical although it may be only slightly tapered internally slightly outwardly or inwardly from the teat I5. I prefer, however, that the portion IE be internally as close to cylindrical as is practical in the manufacture of these plates on a commercial scale at a reasonably low cost.

Mounted in the cylinder I2 is a hollow bearing cylinder ll which is secured thereto and makes a water tight connection therewith. The upper end of the cylinder I1 is exteriorly threaded at 18. The inner part of cylinder [1 at about the mid-length thereof is gradually tapered downwardly to provide a valve seat IS. A valve 20 is located in the cylinder I1 and is adapted to -make a water tight connection therewith when in one position.

The valve 20 may consist of a cylinder 2! whose greater external diameter is just slightly less than the internal diameter of the lower part of the cylinder ll. The cylinder 2| may have elongated grooves 22 therein. Integral with said cylinder 2| and being part of valve 20 is a valve head 23 Whose external diameter is greater than the internal diameter of the lower part of cyl- The head 23 has a tapered lower periphery 24, whose taper is complementary to the tapered valve seat i9 so that these two tapered surfaces l9 and 24 when pressed against each other, prevent the flow of water from the upper part of cylinder [1 to the lower part thereof;

Making a threaded engagement with the upper and threaded section of cylinder I1 is a nipple 25. A gasket or washer 26 may be located between the upper extremity of cylinder l1 and the flange portion of the nipple 25 to assure a water tight seal therebetween. The upper end of nipple 25 is circumferentially grooved to provide downwardly facing teeth shown in Figure 3. A compression spring 21 is located in the space between the valve head 23 and the flange of nipple .25 and bears against head 23 and flange of nipple 25 to normally maintain the valve head 23 at its periphery 24 firmly against seat I9. A boss 28 extends upwardly from head 23 and is encircled by the lower end of spring 27 to maintain erect said spring 21.

The shell I I is deformed at diametrically opposite parts to provide internal shoulders 29 in which are located theends of a hollow bearing 39, whose ends make a water-tight connection or seal with the shell H at said areas of deformation. Located in said bearing 30, with its ends extending through openings in said shell H at the deformed parts thereof is a shaft 3|.

The undersideof the bearing 30 has a portion thereof cut away at that part thereof below the valve cylinder 2| as shown in Figure 3; Mounted on bearing 35 and covering said cut-out is a cam 32 secured to shaft 3| by a lock pin or bolt 33. If desired, although not necessary, a coiled spring 34 may be mounted on bearing 30, with one end of spring 34 bearing against the interior surface of shell H and its other end secured to cam 32 normally to maintain the cam 32 in inoperative position as shown in Figure 3. a 1 i A substantially U-shaped bail35 has its ends located adjacent the openings inshell H and is secured to the outer ends of shaft 3| by the bolts 35. The ball 35 may be a flat piece of sheet metal having an outwardly projecting upper lip 36' at the curved center length'portion thereof. The lip 36 may be curved transversely of its length and may be of any desired width. As shown in Figure 3 the lip is relatively narrow to provide a narrow finger seat or saddle 31. However, it is within the purview of this invention to provide a lip 36 at both the upper and lower part of the bail and further the lip may be of any desired width.

As shown the lip- 35 may be relatively wide to provide a wide saddle for the thumb or other finger. Instead of a lip 35, at only one limit or at both limits of the bail, the bail may be provided with a thumb or finger fitting ring defining an enclosed saddle 31 as shown in Figure 12'.

The bail 35 may be swung about the cylinder 35 to rotate cam 32 which in turn actuates the valve 23. In operation the operatormay grasp the shell I! by extending her hand around that portion of shell rearwardly of the bail 35 so that the cylinder I2 is located between the index finger and the middle finger. Thus the thumb and index finger are on one side of shell H and the other three fingers are on the other side. The thumb is fiat against the bail 35 at the center length thereof and the upper fleshy part of the thumb is located in the saddle 31 and may be pressed against the lip 35. If the thumb is moved upwardly against a bail 35 having a narrow lip 35'. the edge of the lip 36 bites into the fleshy part of; the thumb to prevent slippage; If the lip 36 is relatively wide the thumb bears against the lip 33' and there will be noslippage notwithstanding there is no contact between the thumb and the edge of the lip 36 because the lip 35' inthis construction extends over and around the thumb and the edge is located to one side thereof.

Subjacent plate It is a rigid and thin circular metallic plate 4!] having a number of ports or openings therein, with each port of plate I4 being in alignment with each sub-jacent port in i plate 4!}. Like each of the ports in plate l4 each of the ports in plate 40 consists of an inverted hollow, frustro conical teat' llterminating into a hollow cylinder 42 whose internal diameter is equal to the smallest internal diameter of teat 4|. The altitudes of the teats 4| and cylinders 52 may be the same as the corresponding dimensions of the corresponding elements l and I6 of plate 54 and the internal diameter of teats 4| is preferably just slightly greater than the internal diameter of teats I5 at the same altitude and the internal diameter of cylinder 42 ispreferably just slightly greater than the corresponding dimension of cylinder I6.

Subjacent plate all is a rigid and thin circular metallic plate 55 also having a number of ports therein, with the ports of the. plates M. and 48 being in alignment with the subjacent ports of plate 50,. I I 4 Like each of the. ports in plates M- and 43, each of-the ports in plate 55 consists of an inverted hollow frustro-conical teat 5| terminating into a hollow cylinder 52 whose internal diameter is equal to the smallest internal diameter of teat 5 The altitudes of the teats 5| and cylinders 52 may be the same as the corresponding dimensions of the corresponding elements l5 and I5 of plate In and 4| and 42 of plate 55. The internal diameter of the teats 5| is preferably just slightly greater than the internal diameter of teats 4| at the same altitude and the internal diameter of cylinders 52 is preferably slightly greater than the corresponding dimension of cylinders 42.

The ports or openings may be so arranged in theplates I 3, and 55 as shown in Figure 2 with one port or opening in the center of each plate, with a plurality of them arranged in a circle whose center is the center of the center opening and in addition a plurality of openings arranged in a circle concentric with the first circle.

The second series of ports or openings while in a circle are staggered with respect to the ports or openings in the first circle.

The plate it may have three short nipples 55 spaced about 120 apart and plate also has three short nipples similarly spaced. The plates M, it) and 55 are assembled as shown in Figure 3, with the nipples 55 and 56 being in alignment.

The plate i5 is located between plates l4 and 50and the nipples 55 and 55 are of such altitude that the cylinders l5 extend preferably only part way into teats id and the cylinders 32 extend preferably only part way into teats 5|. The ends of cylinders iii are spaced from the teats i! and the ends of cylinders 52 are spaced from the teats 52. The distance between the lower end of cylinders l5 and. the upper end of cylinders 52 is preferably less than four times the internal diameter of cylinders l6 and may be about twice the internal diameter of cylinders l5; and the distance between the lower end of cylinders 42 and cylinders 52 is preferably less than four times the internal diameter of cylinders 32 and may be about twice the internal diameter of cylinders 52 so that the streams of waterpass'ing from plate to plate do not splash over-but automatically entrain and entrap 'air therein. As shown in the drawings the altitude of head Hi is materially greater than the altitude of the respective ports consisting of the elements l5 and I5, L l and 52, and 5| and 52.

Extending through aligned openings in nipples 55 and 55 and in plate iil are rivets 51 which fixedly anchor these three plates to each other, which plates are contiguous to each other at only these three places. In this construction, the space between the plate I4 and plate 43 and the space between the plate 55 and plate 55 is open to the atmosphere throughouttheen-tire area of any of the plates except at the nipple places of connection.

The outer marginal portion of plate 55 is curved downwardly and inwardly around an outwardly flared lip 63 at the upper end of shroud 5| to anchor shroud 5| @to plate 50.

The shroud =51 extends downwardly and at its lower portion is curved slightly inwardly and terminates at its lower extremity in the form of a circle to define a circular opening 52. The diameter 0f the circular opening '52 is preferably just slightly greater than the furthest distance of any two cylinders 52 from each other, measured from the furthest walls thereof.

The shroud is centrally located so that a line from the nadir to the outermost point of the outer wall of any cylinder 52 furthest from the center of plate 59 will be located just inside of the lower circular periphery of the shroud BI and a material distance inwardly from outer wall of the shroud 6|. The sprayer ll] may be composed of a thin rigid metal or of a plastic such as lucite or the like.

The exteriorly serralted or corrugated end of nipple 25 is inserted into one end of a flexible rubber hose 70 of any desired length. If desired there may be tightly wound on the hose 7!] a coiled stainless steel spring wire H of small diametrical cross section so that the so clad hose may be almost as flexible as the hose 10 per se. The coil H may be placed on the hose by stretching the hose 10 until its diameter is reduced and then sliding the coil ll onto the stretched hose and then removing the force from the ends of the hose. The hose 7!) will now expand and return to its original form and be maintained tightly in the coil spring cover 1|. I prefer that the ends of the coil spring 1| terminate inwardly some distance from the ends of the hose l0.

Surrounding the hose l and mounted on the nipple 2 is an elongated metallic cup 12 having an opening in the center of the bottom thereof which bears against a small flange 13 on nipple 25. The cylindrical part of the cup 12 extends upwardly beyond the lower extremity of coil -'!I with the hose located between the nipple and cup. The cylindrical part of the cup is deformed to provide circumferential corrugations pressing the hose into the serrations of nipple to anchor the hose to the nipple 25. The upper end of the hose is secured in like manner with cup 15 to the serrated end of nipple E6 similar to nipple 25.

The interiorly threaded end of nipple 16 may be screwed directly on to the outlet of a suitable source of water supply. It is well known, however, that the water outlets are of different sizes and shapes in different places. In order to accommodate faucets, spigots and other outlets of different shapes and sizes, there are provided a number of connecting devices, each of which may be employed to make a watertight connection with certain outlets of different shapes and sizes. For this purpose the connector may be of the type shown in Figure 3 and may comprise an inverted hollow frustro conical rigid metallic shell 8 having an exteriorly threaded hollow nipple 8| secured to its lower end and making a watertight connection therewith.

Located within said shell 80 is an inverted frustro-conical resilient rubber member 82 whose lower end is forced against the outer part of nipple 8| to make a watertight seal therewith.

Integral with the member '82 and extending upwardly and inwardly therefrom is a flange 8'3 and extending downwardly from the inner edge of flange 83 and integral therewith is a resilient cylinder 84 extending downwardly into member 82 and terminating above nipple 81.

The upper end of shell 80 is flared slightly outwardly to provide a lip 85. Extending around the flange 83 and closely contiguous therewith over a large portion of its area is a wide metallic band 85 secured to shell 80 at its lip 85 and terminating outside of :the inner extremity of flange 83.

If desired, a split spring ring.81 may be mounted under the lower end of band 86. The ring 81 has secured thereto one end of a chain 83 andone of its links may accommodate the projecting portions 88 thereof. This chain 88 serves as a safety device to prevent the connection from being displaced from the outlet.

The spray device is connected to a water outlet by pushing the connector up and around the outlet whereupon the outlet makes a watertight connection with the cylinder 84 whose diameter is less than that of the outlet. Because of the resiliency of the cylinder 34 and the flange 83, the cylinder 84 is forced upwardly and around the outlet to form a watertight connection therewith. The chain 88 may then be drawn up and around an enlarged portion of the outlet and a link at its free end is placed over the ends 89 of the split ring 8'! to assure the maintenance of the connector on the outlet.

Another connector which has been found to be particularly efiicacious and may be employed in place of the one heretofore described is shown in Figures 10 and .11. This connector may consist of a rigid metallic ring 90 mounted on shell 80, with its upper end bearing against the lower end of band 86. Integral with the ring '93 and extending upwardly and inwardly therefrom are a pair of diametrically oppositely disposed rigid bands 92 extending along the surface of band 86 and terminating in a pair of cars 83. Nut and bolt arrangements 94 are carried by the ears 93 and are employed to move the ears towards each other.

In operation, assuming that the connector shown in Figures 10 and 11 is employed, the outlet spigo't is inserted into the cylinder 84 to make a watertight seal therewith. Then the nuts of the nut and bolt arrangements 4 are tightened to firmly anchor shell to the spigot and prevent accidental displacement of the shell and spigot. The valves of the hot and cold water outlets are adjusted. The sprayer is grasped by the operator and the digit control ball 35 is actuated to raise valve head 23. Water under pressure passes through ports I5 and H5 in fast moving narrow streams and into the ports 41-42 where these water streams entrap and entrain air therein, they then pass into ports 5l'52 where they further entrap and entrain air therein and emerge from cylinders 52 as fast moving streams containing an appreciable quantity of air therein. These 'air laden streams are directed on the parts to be treated and cause greater suds and foams of a soap-water solution on the hair and carry away the suds or soap bubbles with a minimum of curding and consequently no chemical last rinse is required.

Although the invention has been described in detail, it is not to be limited to the exact construction shown because it is subject to change and modifications within its scope.

I claim:

'1. A spray device comprising a head, a closure therefor, said closure having a plurality of openings therein, a plurality of ports communicating w1th said openings, being integral with said closure and depending therefrom, a plate carried by said head and having a plurality of openings therein, a plurality of ports communicating with the openings in said plate, depending therefrom and being tapered'inwardly downward at their upper portions, said first mentioned ports extending into the tapered portions of said second mentioned ports, the length of the ports of said closure and head being materially less than the altitude of said head, said spray device adapted to deliver a plurality of separate and independent streams of liquid to a body to be treated.

2. A spray device comprising a head, a closure therefor, said closure having a, plurality of openings therein, a plurality of ports communicating with said openings, being integral with said closure and depending therefrom, a plate carried by said head and having a plurality of openings therein, a plurality of ports communicating with the openings in said plate, depending therefrom and being tapered inwardly downward at their upper portions, said first mentioned ports being in substantial alignment with said second mentioned ports, said first mentioned ports extending into the tapered portions of said second mentioned ports, the ends of said first mentioned ports located close to but out of contact with the tapered portions of said second mentioned ports, with the space therebetween communicating with the atmosphere, the length of the Ports of said closure and plate being materially less than the altitude of said head, said spray device adapted to deliver a plurality of separate and independent streams of liquid to a body to be treated.

3. A spray device comprising a rigid shell head, a thin rigid closure therefor, said closure having a plurality of openings therein, a plurality of ports communicating with said closure, being integral therewith and depending therefrom, the

' lower portion of said ports being substantially cylindrical to direct therethrough liquid under pressure in fast moving streams, a thin rigid plate carried by said head and located subjacent and near said closure, said plate having a plurality of openings therein, a plurality of ports integral with said plate, depending therefrom and communicating with the openings in said plate, said ports tapering downwardly inward and terminating substantially cylindrically, said first mentioned ports being in substantial alignment with said second mentioned ports, said first mentioned ports extending into the tapered portions of said second mentioned ports, the internal cross sectional area of said second mentioned ports being slightly greater than the internal cross sectional area of said second mentioned ports, the walls of said first mentioned ports being spaced from the walls of said second mentioned ports, with the space therebetween communicating with the atmosphere, the length of the ports of said closure and plate being materially less than the altitude of said head, said spray device adapted to deliver a plurality of separate and independent streams of liquid to a body being treated.

4. A spray device comprising a head, a closure therefor, said head having a plurality of openings therein, a plurality of ports communicating with said openings, being integral with said closure and depending therefrom, a plurality of plates carried by said head, each of said plates having a plurality of openings therein, a plurality of ports communicating with the openings in each of said plates, being integral therewith,

- depending therefrom and being tapered inwardly downward at their upper portions, said first mentioned ports extending into the tapered portions of the ports of one of said plates, the ports of one of said plates extending into the tapered portions of the ports of the other plate, the ports of said closure being in substantial alignment with the ports of said plates, the ends of said ports being close to and spaced from said tapered portions, with the space therebetween communicating with the atmosphere, the length of said ports being materially less than the altitude of said head, said spray device adapted to deliver a plurality of separate streams of liquid to a body to be treated.

EARL L. ROCKWOOD. 

